0726 GMT - Leisure travel demand in China could be solid during the coming Lunar New Year holiday, Citi analysts say in a research note. This year's extended nine-day holiday could bode well for duty-free sales in Hainan, especially for China Tourism Group Duty Free, they say. Among hotels, Citi sees an uptick in revenue per available room for Atour and H World, they say, adding that occupancy rates in some lower-tier cities exceed their expectations with very few rooms unsold. Atour is one of Citi's top buys in China's consumer sector. For outbound tourists, they might shift their attention to Asian destinations like Vietnam and South Korea from Japan, they add. (sherry.qin@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 10, 2026 02:26 ET (07:26 GMT)

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